Improvement in hot-air engines



zsheeps-sheetz., Jy B. WARD. y Hofs-'Air Engine.

No.19sf,s27. Patented 1an. 1, 1878.

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Mis/"Wf a??? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. WARD, 'or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IM'eRoVEMEN-riiNfHoT-AIR ENGINES.

Specification forming part ofLettei-s Patent No. 198,82?, dated January IMS-,application filed i November.6,1877.

proved Hot-Air` Engine 5 and I do hereby de- Clare the following-to be a full, `clear, and ex-g reference being had tof act description thereof, the accompanying. drawings. l

M y invention has referenceto,hot-airengines; and the distinctiyel feature of `my en- I gine is as follows: The air iscompressed-in supplyoylinder or cylinders'by an independ-` ent power outside of the air-en gine before it is admitted into the main cylinder, and-the motive agent of the independent power Vis generated by the'surplus heat in the furnace of the air-engine. VIncident to this arrangement I have made several other improvements,which are fully explained in the following specification.

Referring to the accompanying. drawings, Figure l is a ont view; Fig. 2is a rear view. Fig. 3 is a verticalv section, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section.

Let A A represent two ordinaryupright hot-air engines, eachof which has a'v furnace or hre-place, B, a hot-air or expansion chamber, C, and a hollow bucket-shaped piston, D, all arranged in the Ordinary manner of constructing hot-air engines. These engines I place close together, and connect each of their pistons D with a separate crank, F, on acrankshaft, G, which extends across above the cylinders. l

Each engine is connected by a tube, H, with an upright supply-cylinder, I, which is also provided with a bucket-shaped piston, J. The piston-rods of these pistons are connected with and operated by cranks K K at the extremities of the crank-shaft. G.

Each supply-cylinder is made of an inside and an outside cylinder, so as to provide a space between them, into and through which a constant circulation of cold water is maintained through the medium of apump, L, which is operated by a connection with the piston of the supply-cylinder.

'Ihe air which is to be used in the engines is compressed in the inside chamber under the pistons J by the steam-engine, to be hereinafter described, so that this cylinder is both asupply-cylinder anda regenerator, and the tube H admits the compressed air to the working-cylinder at each strokeof the pistons J.

Directly in rear of the engines A A', I construct a frame, M, at .the b ase of which I place a smallupright steam-cylinder, N.

The piston-rod 'I of this-engine'is connected Awhich is mounted in bearings across the' frame above it.

On each side ofthe steam-cylinder an. airpump, Q, is placed, the pistons of which are operated' by cranks on the `ends of the shaft I. Instead of` using two hot-air engines, I can construct one large jacket or case, in which two uprightfoylinders are placed, each lof which will havea separate piston, and extend the `furnace under both cylinders, thus making onere furnish heat for both, cylinders, and simplifying the operation of running themachine.4 A

To supply` steam to operate ,this lsteam-engine, I construct ya coilor other form of pipe, U,-inside ofthe furnaceof the air-engine,above and around the fire-place, andconnect it with the steam-chest R of the engine, and thispipe I keep filled with water, as hereinafter Vdescribed, so that the heat of the furnace will generate steam sufiicient to drive the engine, and through it operate the air-pumps Q.

Each air-pump is connected with the interior chamber of one of the upright supply-cylinders I by a pipe, Y, so that the steam-engine compresses the air under the Vpistons J to the desired limit, while the operation of the piston J alternately forces the air thus compressed through the tube or passage N into the annular space around the main piston D, whence it passes under the pistons, and is expanded by the heat of the furnace, so as to drive the piston D upward.

The reverse motion of the piston D forces the air back into the cylinder I, when it is Cooled before it is again admitted into the working-cylinder.

Around the upper end of each of the cylinders A A', I construct a water chamber or jacket, V. I then connect each of these waterchambers with the water-jacket of the supplycylinder I which is next to it by a pipe, W.

The pistons D move in stuffing-boxes inside by'a pitman, O, with a vcrank on va shaft, P,

of these chambers, and the object of surroundin g them with watern is to utilizey the heat generated by the'friction -of the moving `pistons and the heat of radiation to heat the water,

which is subsequently conveyed by the pipe` X into the coiled pipe'in the furnace, to be converted into steam to supply the steam-engine. I thus utilize all of the heat possible. l

The hot air, as it returns from the workingchamber into the regenerator-cylinder, is cooled by the surrounding water-jacket, so that the water is heatedV thereby; thence I convey it to those points where it will take up the heat generated by friction and radiation, and then I convey it into the coil in the furnace, where it is readily converted into steam,without materi'ally detractin g from the heat of the furnace.

This arrangement is calculated to obtain the best possible result from a given amount of heat. It enables me, irst, to obtain a' positive and continuous application of power to the driving-shaft, so that one cylinder assists in driving the other; secondly, I compress and maintain the air-pressure in the supply-cylinders by a power entirely independent of the hot-air engines, so that the full power of the expansion of the air is rendered available for. working purposes; thirdly, steam to drive the steam-engine is generated by the surplus heat, and the heat which would otherwise be wasted, thus at once utilizing all of the capacity of such an engine; fourthly, Iprovide a portable hot-air engine with a power apparatus for compressmg the air, which apparatus forms an actual part of the engine. This power I lcan regulate'by opening or closing the throttlevalve, so as. to increase or diminish the power applied for compressing the air in the supplycylinder, and thus regulate the energy ofthe hot-air engine. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination of the furnace of a hotair engine, provided with a steam-coil, U, and the steam-cylinder N', connected with said airengine by the steam-coil, whereby said steamcylinder is supplied with steam generated in the furnace of the air-engine, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination of the furnaces of hotair engines, having steam-coils, the steamcylinder N, to which the 'steam-coils are connected, and regenerating or supply cylinders I I, connected with the air-engines by tubes H, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination of the furnace of a hotair engine, provided with steam-coil U, the steam-cylinder N, air-pump Q, conductingpipe Y, and supply-cylinder I, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and de.

scribed. v

4. The combination, withl the-furnace of a hot-airengine, provided with the steam-coil U and the supply-cylinder I, of the waterchamber V, arranged around the stuffing-box in which the main piston moves, said chamber having pipes, W X, communicating, respectively, with the water-jacket ofthe supply-chamber and the steam-coil, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal. f

JOHN B. WARD. [n s] Witnesses:

FRANK A. BROOKS, HENRY J. Donn. 

